With Akira Akagi joining the Bicester-based team and the rebranding of the March Racing sports division to Leyton House, dropping all reference to the British constructor, the leadership transition of the historic British outfit is complete. The objective remains to return the single-seaters produced at the Bicester factory to competitive success. For the 1990 season, the design of the CG901 chassis is once again entrusted to Adrian Newey, although it does not differ greatly from its predecessor, the 891.
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| LEYTON HOUSE CG901, Ivan Capelli Paul Ricard, French GP 1990 |
Newey realizes that several modifications are needed to address issues that emerged the previous season, the main one being the underperforming Judd EV V8 engine, which, with a peak output of 625 hp, lagged behind its rivals. In an attempt to minimize the performance gap, Newey focuses on creating a car capable of regaining speed through improved aerodynamic efficiency. At the start of the season, the first version of the new CG901 appears nearly identical to the 891 it is based on, although it features several more sophisticated aerodynamic details, with major changes particularly evident on the front wing to enhance downforce.
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| LEYTON HOUSE CG901 Ivan Capelli Monza, Italian GP 1990 |
From mid-season onward, significant changes are introduced to the CG901, especially concerning the chassis and suspension. The carbon monocoque chassis becomes even stiffer and smaller than before, with two recesses in its lower part created to accommodate the driver's heels, an effort to optimize internal airflow within the car’s sidepods. This further reduction in cockpit space draws criticism from the two returning drivers, Brazilian Mauricio Gugelmin and Italian Ivan Capelli, who complain about difficulties operating the gear lever and even handling the steering wheel due to the cramped conditions.
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| LEYTON HOUSE CG901, Ivan Capelli Phoenix, United States GP 1990 |
The front dampers are placed ahead of the driver's feet, and the suspension features the classic push-rod layout. The nose is notably narrow and pointed, while the sidepods have a clean line with pronounced tapering at the rear, where a new carbon-fiber gearbox casing, also designed by Newey, is installed. After a decidedly discouraging start to the season, marked by failures to qualify and frequent retirements, things improve significantly starting with the French Grand Prix, thanks to updates introduced on the CG901. At Paul Ricard, Capelli finishes second behind Prost’s Ferrari and ahead of Senna’s McLaren, after having led the race for a long stretch.
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| LEYTON HOUSE CG901, Mauricio Gugelmin Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian GP 1990 |
For the remainder of the season, only the car's lack of reliability prevents further exploits, though Newey’s cars still score another points finish, enabling Leyton House to end the season in seventh place. Despite the underwhelming results, Adrian Newey’s creativity does not go unnoticed by top teams. At the end of the season, Leyton House is unable to retain the British engineer, who leaves to join Williams.
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